Hizbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah discussed “Iran’s readiness to sell Lebanon oil with the Lebanese pound” and stated: “I prefer that official talks between Lebanon and Iran take place away from media, and I can guarantee such offer… heading east is one of choices to confront starvation. This choice sends a message to the U.S. that whoever wants to besiege Lebanon will fail in this policy”. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo subsequently underscored that Iranian oil “would be sanctioned product for sure, and we’ll do everything we can to make sure that Iran cannot continue to sell crude oil anywhere, including to Hizbollah… Hizbollah is a terrorist organisation and we are supportive of Lebanon as long as they get the reforms right and they are not a proxy state for Iran”. Lebanon’s energy minister on 9 July indicated that “there is no plan to negotiate with Iran at present about importing fuel and the current discussion is with Iraq”.